Qi Gong anyone?

What is Qi Gong? An ancient Chinese practice for promoting health and energy – and Katja Biesanz wants to share the joy.

Biesanz said it’s also the root of both traditional Chinese medicine and most martial arts.

“It’s especially embraced to enhance longevity, in order to have the time to cultivate wisdom,” she explained. “It’s antecedents, carved on cave walls are 5,000 years old — you could say it has been field tested!”

In Classical Chinese Medicine Qi Gong was the central practice for maintaining health. Herbs and acupuncture were used for acute situations, with Qi Gong again employed in recovery.

While Qi Gong can be quite athletic, it can be done sitting or even lying down, Biesanz added.

“My own teacher was healed as a young man from life threatening conditions,” she said. “He couldn’t get out of bed. He recovered and became a top martial artist. The movements are as much internal as external — hence you can begin where you are.”

Enthusiasts say Qi Gong is a lot like Taiji (Tai Chi Ch’uan) — the latter takes Qi Gong life force into space and relationship. The best Taiji players practice Qi Gong, as it is for cultivating that life force.

Qi Gong also functions of the level of where the mind, body and emotions meet — and can be very helpful for coping with life, such as bolstering concentration, meeting sorrow, and transforming difficult experience into meaning.

Biesanz is offering a free lecture on Friday, Oct. 14, at 6 pm at NCRD. She’s also providing a workshop Saturday, Oct. 15 from 2 – 4 p.m. The cost is $20 in advance and $25 at the door.

Contact Biesanz at katja@teleport.com or check out her posting on the North Coast BBQ online.